Electric regulator.



W. L. BLISS.

ELECTRIC REGULATOR.

"rue/111011 111:0 Aus.z1, 1911. RENEWED JULY 2a. 1916.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. BLISS, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MEN'IS, TO U. S. LIGHT & HEAT CORPORATION, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A

CORPORATION 01 NEW YOBK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

. Application filed August 21, 1911, Serial No. 645,228. Renewed July28, 1916. Serial No. 111,958.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. Buss, a citizen of the United States,residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Regulators,concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an electric regulator and to a system ofdistribution employing such a regulator.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a regulator which shallbe positive and stable in operation, and which shall regulate withinclose'limits.

Another object is to provide amotor-operated regulator, the energizationof the m0- tor armature being varied in response. to variations in theelectrical conditions of the circuit to be re lated.

A further ob ect is to provide a voltage regulator comprising a rheostatoperated by a motor, the energization of whose armature is controlled byrapidly opening and closing a shunt circuit around said armature at arate responsive to voltage variations in the circuit to be regulated.

The regulator may be embodied in various forms, and may be employed invarious systerns. For the purpose of illustrating the principles of theinvention, I have illustrated one form of regulator as applied to thelamp .eircuit of a car-lighting system.

It is obvious that the regulator may be constructed in various forms andcan be used to regulate the field winding of a generator, or it could beused in various other relations.

The drawin cally the emb ferred to.

In the diagram, the mains 1-2 are adapted to be supplied by any suitablesource of electrical energy, such as an axle-driven generator (notshown). The storage battery 3 and translating devices 4 are connectedacross the mains in garallel branches. Under certain conditions 1: etranslating devices are adapted to be supplied b the storage batteryalone, and under ot er conditions the translating devices and thebattery may both be supplied with current from the illustratesdiagrammati- 'ment of the invention regenerator.

of which the following is a full, clear,

' stat.

In order to prevent an excessive voltage from being impressed on thetranslating de- .vices, which are herein illustrated as lamps,

normally held in initial position by a spring 7, in which position theresistance of the rheostat is a minimum. The contact arm 6 maybe movedback and forth to compensate for any rise in voltage above apredetermined normal value, which rise would. otherwise be impressed onthe lamps. This arm is adapted to be moved bv a series motor, 1n thepresent instance, themotor being nrovlded with field windings 8connected permanently across the circuit 1-2, and an armature 9 inseries with said field windings. The field windings 8 are connectedacross the circuit between the storage battery and the rheostat 5, so asto respond to whatever voltage is impressed on said rheo- The armature9, being connected in series with the field windings 8, is alsoconnected across the circuit 12, but is normally short-circuited by avibrating contact device 10 connected in a shunt circuit around saidarmature. The vibratin contact device mav assume various forms, and isillustrated as the well known resilient reed type. The reed is adaptedto vibrate rapidlv under certain conditions in response to theenergization of the voltage responsive winding 11 connected across thecircuit between the rheostat 5 and the lamps 4, so as to respond towhatever voltage variations tend to be impressed on said lamps. Anauxiliary high speed coil 12 is associated with said winding 11, andacts differently to compensate for the varyin reluctance of the air canbetween the core of said winding and the resilient reed, which acts asthe armature. Said high speed coil is normally short circuited by thereed,- but is ener 'zed whenever the reed is drawn down an opposes thecoil 11, thereby permitting the reed to spring back quickly. The higheed coil has a high resistance, and thereby does not divert anyabpreclable amount of current from the motor armature when the resilientreed is drawn down.

The operation of the system is substan-.

tially as follows: Upon any tendency toward an increase of voltage abovethe normal value which it is desired to impress on the translatingdevices, the increased energization of the coil 11 causes the resilientreed to be drawn down, thereby opening the short circuit around themotor armature and thereby admitting the armature into circuit. -As themotor field is continuously energized. the armature tends to rotate inagainst the action of the spring 7. As a result, the arm tends tomaintaln whatever position is required to hold the voltage impressedacross the lamps substantially constant. Of course, the motor armaturemay either move the rheostat arm directly or through a train of gears.

it is apparent that the above embodiment of the invention was selectedfor the purpose oi illustration only, and therefore I do not desire tolimit myself to said embodiment, as other forms may be devised whichaccomplish the desired results-and fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.. An electric regulator comprising a variable resistance, a pluralityof electromagnetic windings which by mutualreaction control saidvariable resistance, a shunt circuit adapted to be closed around one ofsaid windings and a vibrating contact for controlling said shunt circuitwhereby the energization of said winding is regulated.

2. In combination with a circuit to be regulated, an electric regulatortherefor, said regulator including a regulating medium, a

plurality of cooperating electromagnetic.

windings for controlling said medium, a shunt circuit adapted to beclosed around one of said windin s and a regulating coil for controllingsai shunt circuit to.regulate the energization of said winding, an-

other of said electromagnetic windings being permanently connectedacross the circuit to e regulated.

3. An electric regulator comprising a regulating medium, a motor forcontrolling said.

medium, a shunt circuit adapted to be closed around the armature of saidmotor and a regulating coil for controlling said shunt This action isaccelerated by the circuit, thereby regulating the energization of saidarmature.

4. An electric regulator, comprising a variable resistance, a motor forcontrolling said variable resistance, separable contacts connected in ashunt circuit around the motor armature to control the energization ofsaid armature, and a regulating coil adapted to cause rapid vibration ofone of said contacts to open and close said shunt circuit at a rapidrate. a

' 5. A circuit to be regulated and an electric regulator therefor, saldregulator including a variable resistance in the circuit to beregulated, a motor for controlling said resistance, a shunt circuit adated to be closed around the armature of said motor but .not around thefield thereof, a vibrating contact adapted to cooperate with astationary contact to open and close at a rapid rate said shunt circuitaround the motor armature, and a voltage responsive winding forcontrolling said vibrations, whereby said motor field is permanentlyenergized, and whereby the mean energization of said motor armatureresponds to variations in the voltage of the circuit. v

6. An electric re ulator, comprising, in combination, a varia leresistance adapted to be connected in the circuit to-be regulated, amotor for varying said resistance, ashunt circuit adapted to be closedaround the armature of said motor, short-circuiting contacts adapted tocontrol said shunt circuit around the motor armature, and a voltageresponsive winding for controlling the action of said contacts.

7. An electric regulator, comprising, in

combination, a rheostat, a motor for operating said rheostat, a shuntcircuit adapted to be closed around the armature of said motor, avibrating contact cooperating with a fixed contact to rapidly open andclose said shunt circuit around the motor armature, a voltage responsivewinding controlling said vibrations, and a high speed coil coiiperatingwith said winding.

8. In an electric regulator, in combination,

a rheostat having a movable arm, a spring normally holding said arm in aposition to cut out all'of the resistance, a series motor for operatingsaid rheostat arm, a short circuit adapted to be closed around thearmature of said motor, separable contacts for controlling said shortcircu1t around the motor armature, a volta e responsive winding forcontrolling sai short circuit and, hence, for controlhng the mean enerization of the motor armature, whereby sai armature moves said rheostatarm to insert resistance in circuit proportional to the voltage riseeffective. in said voltage winding, and an auxiliary coil associatedwith said voltage winding for increasing the sensitiveness of theregulation.

9. A circuit to be re lated and a voltage regulator therefor, sairegulator including a rheostat connected in the circuit, a motor foroperating the rheostat to vary the resistance thereof, a shunt circuitaround the armature of said motor and a contact member vibratininresponse to voltage variations in sai circuit toregulate'said shuntcircuit around the motor armature and thereby control the resistance ofsaid rhcostat.

10. In a system of electrical regulation, in combination, a circuit tobe regulated, a variablevresistance in said circuit, a motor foroperating said variable resistance, a shunt circuit around the motorarmature, se arable contacts in said shunt circuit a apted to vibraterapidly to control the energization of saidarmature, and a voltageresponsive winding connected across the circuit to be re ulated, forcontrolling said vibrations an hence, for controlling the resistanceinterposed in said circuit to ofiset the voltage variations.

11. An electric regulator comprising a variable resistance, a pluralityof electromagnetic windings which byelectrical reaction act to vary saidresistance, a shunt circuit adapted to be closed around some of saidwindings, a vibrating contact controllin said shunt circuit and anelectromagnetic coil controlling the operation of said contact wherebythe reaction of said windings may be regulated.

12. In a system of electrical regulation, in combination, a circuit tobe regulated, a variable resistance in said circuit, interactingelectromagnetic coils controlling said resistance, a shunt circuitaround one of said coils, separable contacts in said shunt circuitadapted to vibrate rapidly to control the energization of said windingand means responsive to the voltage across the circuit to 'be regulatedfor controlling said separable contacts.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.

' WILLIAM BLISS. 7

Witnesses:

WM. A. TURBAYNE, F. J. CALLOHAN.

